New Plants

[Incognito]

Interesting story in yesterday's Edmonton Journal about the various plants that are in the works.Ranchers Own Meat Processors intends on commencing construction late April/May. They have raised $30 million of the $40 Million they need in building and operational costs. $5 Million is from selling shares and the rest is bank loans and backing of large investors. Ranchers Own is gearing up to slaughter animals over 30 months.
Rancher's Beef is planning a fall opening of their plant ( Price's ). They have $32 Million in equity financing and are through the development permit process. Art Price is quoted as saying that most of the investors are family owned ranch operations.

[grassfarmer]

I understand the Peace Tender Beef group are definitely planning to build this summer too. Representatives are coming to speak at a public meeting in Bluffton Hall (just north of Rimbey,AB) on 23rd February, 7pm.
Anyone interested please come along.

[grassfarmer]

thanks Grassfarmer, will advise folks in this area about the meeting, although the transportation to a plant in the Peace is a drawback to anyone in west central AB.

[cowman]

My question here would be how is Ranchers Own going to come up with the other $10 million by April? And incidently what are they going to use for operating money until the sales start rolling in?
I actually talked to the guy promoting this plant at a trade show. He was a pretty good salesman... if you never asked too many detailed questions! His answers got real vague when he started talking about the proposed bio digestor part of the plant. He obviously has no concept of cost when he explained that this would be a very high tech "bio reactor" that would destroy the prions in any SRMs as well as knock out all the N, P, K! I believe a bio digester like that would cost close to the $40 million slated for the whole plant?
I hope this group has a good handle on prices and I do realize this salesman was probably just blowing hot air!
As far as the Price deal goes, I suspect he will get it done. How much money is Price putting in and how much of the plant will he own? Incidently, Sunterra should be starting to kill cattle at their Innisfail operation real quick. The expansion will allow a 300/day capacity. Those Prices are pretty good businessmen.

[cakadu]

To my knowledge, the biodigesters have not been proven to destroy all prions, which is why one hasn't heard them being promoted as such.

The new facilities at the U of A that are going to specifically study these types of things may eventually come up with the proof that the prions can be destroyed, which will then put these biodigesters into a whole new light.